Rare Divergence: Economic Data vs. Financial Markets

Financial markets have been breathtakingly strong so far in 2019. In fact, it's been the best start for the US stock market since 1992, with the S&P 500 posting a 13.1% total return through mid-March. Another impressive stat is that the NASDAQ began the year with nine straight up weeks – a feat not seen since 1964. International stocks, corporate bonds, REITs, and midstream energy assets have also posted remarkable returns.